Winter Feasts at Britomart

Perched on the corner of Galway and Commerce Streets is Mr Morris, a welcoming restaurant offering a unique Kiwi-Pacific dining experience. You can rely on chef Michael Meredith to make you take a new look at every ingredient. Case in point: Brussels sprouts are a winter vegetable many people write off, but in Michael's hands they're expertly caramelised, generously seasoned and melded with 'nduja and an agria crisp to become what he describes as a "warm", "wintery" and "very inviting" entrée. Discover the dish for yourself along with Michael’s many other incredible creations at Mr Morris and book your table here.

• Caramelised Brussels sprouts with a thyme, lemon and honey gastrique, macadamia cream, 'nduja oil and agria potato crisp, $27

Find our interview with Mr Morris's chef, owner and operator, Michael Meredith, here.

Set in a warm and sun-filled conservatory in the heart of Britomart, Ortolana (Italian for 'market gardener') brings the garden to the city — using seasonal ingredients sourced from local growers. English head chef Nathan Chester has really enjoyed incorporating a taste of home into his dishes, "that's why I love making braised cabbage... it's what we eat with all our dishes back in the UK." Paired with parsnip puree and seared lamb, this comforting dish has all the elements of a satisfying winter meal. "We sear the lamb on the skin so the skin goes dead crispy. I love when you're just about to cut into the meat... it's like butter, it falls apart." To experience Ortolana's thoughtful menu in the surrounds of Britomart's Pavilions gardens, book a table here.

• Seared lamb, parsnip puree, braised cabbage, shallot, parsley $39

Find our interview with Ortolana's head chef, Nathan Chester, here.

If you wander through the recently revived Tuawhiti Lane you'll find kingi, the sustainable seafood restaurant that calls The Hotel Britomart home. Hailing far from Britomart, kingi's Sardinian (Italy) head chef Stefania Palermo brings a wealth of experience in fine dining and patisserie to the kingi kitchen. Stefania is always finding ways to make the most of every spare ingredient, which is how one of her latest fish dishes came to be. "This dish was formed because we had so many crayfish per year left in the fridge... and I was like, what can I do with this?" The outcome? Delicate pan-fried snapper with a velvety tomato crayfish bisque. If you'd like to try this dish and other kingi specialties, you can reserve your place here. Tip: we love sitting fireside for some extra winter cosiness.

• Pan-fried snapper with tomato crayfish bisque, fregola pasta and fresh fennel salad (Leigh), $45

Find our interview with kingi's head chef, Stefania Palermo, here.

Situated opposite Auckland's Waitemata Harbour and spanning the historic Altrans and Quay Buildings is local institution Amano. Brick-lined, ambient and always humming, there's no greater place in the city to enjoy winter comfort food, with their pasta handmade on-site daily. Rustic, Italian-inspired fare is their specialty and this season, executive chef Andrew Hanson has prepared a delicious and hearty butternut pasta dish. "During the winter, we like to use slightly heavier vegetables. The butternut within the pasta gives it a nice sweetness, as well as a bit of robustness and a bit of vegetable body." You can sample the dish for yourself by booking a table at Amano here.

• Pukekohe butternut and extruded semolina pasta with sage and goat's cheese, $36 V

Find our interview with Amano's executive chef, Andrew Hanson, here.

Occupying a historic building on Auckland's waterfront, dark and moody Ebisu draws together classic Japanese and European techniques, with a menu that presents a clever mix of new-style sushi and sashimi and traditional dishes with unexpected twists. This month, head chef Tatsuki Okunishi is highlighting a warehou (fish) dish that is heavily influenced by long-established Japanese techniques. "We soak [the fish] in miso marination for a couple of days and this is really authentic in Japanese food." Tatsuki has a few more special tricks up his sleeve, including his signature tempura and sashimi dishes that you'll find on the Ebisu winter menu. If you'd like to try them, you can book a table here.

• Miso-cured New Zealand white warehou with yuzu miso and pickled daikon, $32

Find our interview with Ebisu's head chef, Tatsuki Okunishi, here.

Tucked underneath Cafe Hanoi down Tuawhiti Lane, Ghost Street is a reimagining of the heady hole-in-the-wall eateries along Beijing's famous food street. Offering rustic seasonal dishes from throughout China, the menu emphasises food from the western cities of Chengdu and Xi'an — with punchy, earthy and rich flavours complemented by Chinese-herbs-and-spices-inspired cocktails. This winter, head chef Johnny Lin is offering a special steamed fish dish, inspired by the Hunan mountain province. "Hunan is a province that has extensive water networks that provide an abundance of fish resources. So the fish became a regular protein on the tables of the locals." To experience Ghost Street's authentic Chinese menu for yourself, you can make a booking here.

• Hunan steamed fish fillets with salted chillies, black beans, ginger and coriander, $43

Located on the ground floor of the Maritime Building, Alma is a small yet smart dining space that draws inspiration from Andalusia, the southernmost region in Peninsular Spain. On the all-day dining menu, expect plates designed to bring joy and comfort, with smoky flavours from the open-wood fire and fresh seasonal ingredients sourced from near and afar. There are many warming winter dishes to choose from, including their deliciously tender lamb dish — a favourite amongst diners. To sample a taste of Andalusia for yourself, you can reserve your table here.

• Lamb, tahina, zhoug, spinach, $44

Nestled away in Tuawhiti Lane is Cafe Hanoi, a modern Vietnamese restaurant offering authentic Hanoian street food and other more contemporary dishes that pair traditional Northern Vietnamese cooking techniques with New Zealand produce. As part of Britomart's winter feasts series, executive chef Nathan Houpapa will be serving a traditional seafood dish (and a vegan alternative) from Hanoi that dates back over a hundred years — originally created by a small family restaurant known as Chả Cá La Vong. "We work very hard to provide authentic Vietnamese food. We have actually tried to reproduce this dish as it is in Vietnam, using small cubes of fish kind of marinated into a turmeric galangal... We fry it up with some onions and it gets served over a bit of cold rice noodles tossed with peanuts and dill. So you get the cold noodles and the hot fish, it's a nice contrast of heat." To experience a slice of Vietnam in Britomart this winter, you can book your spot here.

• Wok-seared market fish, with turmeric, ginger, galangal, green beans, peanuts, rice noodles and dill served with nuoc cham (a traditional Vietnamese sauce), $42
• Turmeric galangal tofu with rice noodles, beans, scallions, dill and vegan nuoc cham, $29 VE